Fareham

Fareham's population grew in the decade leading up to the most recent census. At the same time there were changes in average age, religion and work life.

The population passed 110,000

In the decade leading up to the most recent census, the population of Fareham increased by 3.3%, from almost 108,000 to 112,000.

The addition of just over 3,600 people means this area's population increased at a slower rate than the total population of England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Fareham was home to, on average, 11 people per football pitch-sized piece of land (about 7,140 square metres).

Population density was higher than the average across the South East

Population density (usual residents per 7,140 square metres) across the South East, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Fareham

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Fareham increased by four years, from 40 to 44 years.

This affluent area had a higher average age than the South East and remained older than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of about 3,200 people between the ages of 60 and 69 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by almost 4,000.

About 13% of people in Fareham are aged between 60 and 69 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, South East and Fareham by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Fewer homes with children

This area saw the South East's joint second-largest fall in the proportion of households with children, alongside Hastings.

In 2011, just under 3 in 10 (28%) households in Fareham had at least one dependent child, compared with 30% in 2001. The percentage with no children increased from 61% to 62%.

The proportion of households with children was lower than across the South East

Percentage of households that with at least one dependent child across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

Religion in Fareham

The number of people in Fareham that described themselves as having no religion increased from about 15,000 in 2001 to just under 31,000 in 2011. This represents a change from 14% to 27% of the local population.

The percentage increased by more than the average across the South East (from 17% to 28%) and the average across England (from 15% to 25%).

The number of people in Fareham that described themselves as Christian decreased from just over 84,000 in 2001 to about 71,000 in 2011 (from 78% to 64%). The number of people who did not disclose their religious affiliation increased from just over 7,100 to about 8,100 (from 6.6% to 7.2%).

Just under 540 people (0.4%) said they were Muslim, up from just under 380 in 2001 (0.5%).

There are many factors that can cause changes to the religious profile of an area, such as migration and varying fertility rates between religious groups. Changes may also be caused by differences in the way individuals choose to self-identify between censuses.

The population without a religion in Fareham increased by 13 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, South East and Fareham by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Fewer people worked long hours

The percentage of employed people in Fareham working more than 49 hours in the week before the census decreased from 14% to 11% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just over 1 in 40 (2.8%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked less than 16 hours the previous week, compared with 1.9% in 2001.

The proportion of people working long hours fell here at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 14% in 2001 to 11% in 2011). Across England, the proportion fell from 13% to 10%.

Long hour working in Fareham decreased by 3.2 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Fareham, the South East and England that said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Fareham residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 6.8% to 4.0% in the decade to 2011.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just over 8 in 10 (84%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 72% in 2001. The percentage of Fareham residents that described their health as fair decreased from 21% to 12%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 7.2% in 2001 to 4.4% in 2011). Across England, the proportion fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Fareham decreased by 2.8 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Fareham, the South East and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

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Area report data

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